While it may seem weird to call a nonhuman animal a "person," Argentina has done just that - in their country, chimpanzees and orangutans enjoy the benefits of legal personhood. In America we like to think of "human" and "person" as equivalent terms, but that is demonstrably not the case; at least not legally. So... Should other animals be considered people? Vote: https://twitter.com/SpeciesPodcast/status/1088911107224416257 Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PtGd9rO9G943JDw2e01Pl...
Jan 25, 2019•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast How did we domesticate horses? Is there such thing as a wild horse? Who would win in a marathon, a horse or a human? How can I become a better inventor than Elon Musk? Find out some insanely fun facts about horses and get the answers to all these questions on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16ksNcJ5CbL4pCuGppq7gC8HYRRVU29Q28hr03l3G-QM/edit?usp=sharing...
Jan 20, 2019•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Rock-paper-scissors" is an old game, and these lizards have been playing it for way longer than us. Just a different version, with higher stakes. This is a game about life and death. Learn about why lefties are better at fighting, frequency-dependent selection, and quality vs. quantity all on this episode of species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EkGLivXgxNnT9RTc3XICcsHHRUCxMwc-eOvDiSDJYSc/edit?usp=sharing...
Jan 13, 2019•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ravens are so smart it's stupid. They use trickery, tools, communication, cooperation and betrayal to get ahead in the world. Come listen to some insane raven anecdotes, and get the answers to these questions: Why are there ravens in the Tower of London? Why do ravens fly towards gunfire? What do ravens, ants, humans and bees all have in common? Find out about the common raven, Corvus corax, on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zoOfHpZ8skzSMZ6U9DlYPEHhKKr...
Jan 06, 2019•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The most powerful and dangerous electric fish in the entire world. Yes, they're real. Yes, they could kill you. Yes, they are insanely big. How do they generate electricity with their bodies? Can they use their electric fields to navigate? Have they invented an electric language? How come they don't shock themselves when they shock you? Find out all on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kaXRVKBZVK242pS6J2pSxsccVspSfk6Kyuh8xi6Zg4U/edit?usp=sharing...
Dec 31, 2018•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast The vaquita is a tiny, adorable, panda-like porpoise, and they need your help. Listen to this episode fast, because sadly, it could expire any day. Species does not cover extinct animals, and this animal is on the brink. Find out all about the $20,000 bladder, the Chinese black market, and a guy who is not related to Chuck Norris on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11DkxAo-HitnUmWuoix3Dli5z3JUNkekfWWsSUmPonIw/edit?usp=sharing...
Dec 24, 2018•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast This isn't actually a lobster, and they don't live in trees anymore. This is the rarest insect on earth. The Lord Howe Island stick insect. Dryococelus australis. Considered extinct for decades and hidden for almost a century, this creature is unique, and they have an amazing story. Come listen and learn all about them! Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rQ-E6um6w6N9dh_OUScPt_VKhwMT_5ZEUDDff9KkCs8/edit?usp=sharing Support Species: speciespodcast.com/donate...
Dec 16, 2018•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Humans are the only animals on earth that have chins. Seriously. Look at your dog. Do they have a chin? Nope. Cat? No. Lions, tigers bears? Oh my! No, they do not have chins! Why did chins evolve in humans, when they literally haven't evolved anywhere else? Today we turn to the JD Pampush and DJ Daegling to explore the possible answers. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mn1Ya8gwk52JPBTFIh8-pfpXa1BLwzp5kgnYpJkGeLs/edit?usp=sharing Donate: www.speciespodcast.com/donate...
Dec 11, 2018•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast This animal is the baddest bird on the face of the planet: They decapitate crocodiles and deliberately defecate on their own legs. Why? Listen to find out. This bird is bad to the bone from the moment their born. Come learn all about the creature, and finally discover whether or not birds are dinosaurs on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EbSO3bks7w2jy1vIDPDapLqmZVZlmBIFT7HtZR3Ody8/edit?usp=sharing Support the Show: https://www.speciespodcast.com/donate...
Dec 09, 2018•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast WARNING: This shark can walk on land. Nobody is safe. If you are easily upset by the concept of sharks, specifically those that can walk on land, this podcast may not be the one for you. Everybody else, come have some family-friendly fun and listen to the science of how a fish can survive up here with the rest of us! Also, learn about the first life to walk on earth, and hear the science behind gills and adaptive radiation on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/documen...
Dec 02, 2018•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast What has two tongues, spikes on their vertebrae, a "toilet claw," a tooth comb, and no index finger? The Potto. Perodicticus potto. Come learn all about an amazing animal, hear a heartbreaking story, and get an explanation for their strange body on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QafZ6UU_G8l_m8WnPBqzJ0TQrCtswffUkAlKnWMfe1I/edit?usp=sharing...
Nov 25, 2018•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast They throw punches fast enough to vaporize water, and create deadly underwater implosions. Their eyes are the most advanced on earth: They can see more colors than we can imagine, and their eyes may be powerful enough to see cancer. This creature is one of the most amazing on earth, and you can learn all about them on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j9k_VB0dJ8B6X5kL3JsK0MhqvOpwUJDiG6DSsDgKSuk/edit?usp=sharing...
Nov 19, 2018•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast This bird causes 1.6 billion dollars in damage to the US economy every year, and it's Shakespeare's fault. Well, kind of. Listen and learn about the bird who has speaking abilities on par with parrots, who helped Mozart write his songs. Find out about a surprisingly amazing animal, and try to wrap your head around murmurations, on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FN8VHiGp7TPCIa2DfFBEYiLtAeDkW8wXaHarOnPloPk/edit?usp=sharing...
Nov 11, 2018•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dogs, sheep, goats, rabbits, cows, pigs, all of these animals (and more) have floppy ears in captivity. Many of them have blotchy spots, and shorter snouts too! Why are these traits common to domesticated mammals? How can it possibly be a coincidence, when these traits are rare in the wild and don't exist in the wild counterparts of these species? And what happens if we domesticate a new animal? Will they get these traits too? Get the real answers on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https:...
Nov 10, 2018•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Torquigener albomaculosus. This amazing species makes incredible underwater art, out of sand! It was a mystery for a long time, nobody knew who was making these weird pop-up underwater crop-circle things, and then we finally discovered that a tiny pufferfish is behind them. But this has lead to more mysteries: How to they do it? And why? Dive into the waters off the coast of Japan on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CSF8j9v_ETlAgpG6xcpj1A0zv1SEdqbkWAaSEc...
Nov 05, 2018•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are vampire bats nicer than people? Do they really suck blood? Which came first, the vampire or the bat? Will their saliva save you from a heart attack? Learn an absurd amount of facts about vampire bats so you have a conversation piece on Halloween. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NsVN6No5JXPPskovVe51EYut8Q8cmfxuWqrM8Sh0kK0/edit?usp=sharing
Oct 29, 2018•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dorymyrmex bicolor. This species of ant picks up rocks, and drops them on their enemies. Is it war? Define war. Is it tool use? Yes... And what does that say about tool use? What can ants teach us about ourselves? Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q2kwz6bnI7FqNP1b16qEG1ul_ocKEkrMg8nKm9uqlYI/edit?usp=sharing
Oct 21, 2018•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast This vulture eats bones. Seriously. 85% bone diet. They also dye themselves red. Oh, and they maybe killed a Greek playwright by throwing a turtle at him. Not joking. Listen and find out everything about the legendary bearded vulture on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oT_724nN-ElBZaqhDniHtAt0tWmcB6CBNGN5JMnpNIU/edit?usp=sharing...
Oct 14, 2018•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Neither mud nor puppy, this strange salamander is just a big baby. Like you. Seriously, you look like an infant. Listen to find out why! Also, find out all about paedomorphism and neoteny. Enjoy learning about the fascinating life and life cycle of the common mudpuppy on this episode of species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_eOJ7Kw9TncrmZc3DKI3Hd5HCXRbJLTLO_O8xAe2ZNg/edit?usp=sharing See photos of the mudpuppy, a video of a mudpuppy eating a goldfish, and see a comparison ph...
Oct 07, 2018•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Learn about the animal Arnold Schwarzenegger wants you to protect! The furriest creature on the face of the planet, one of the cutest, and possibly one of the most brutal, the sea otter. Find out all the fun facts and not-so-fun history of this furry friend on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i0kze7gmk59KfcZv-VnLBqVxKdb6bBxIb6y8V6OaUUY/edit?usp=sharing
Sep 30, 2018•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast This praying mantis hunts hummingbirds. Seriously. Find out why female mantises eat male mantises, discover the world of praying mantis kung fu, and ruin your day by learning all about the horrifying lifestyle of the Chinese mantis on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YuSSR9_AmL7wyLBvx0ZhuufN-3W5YLMcNAT4vlstDyk/edit?usp=sharing
Sep 23, 2018•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Do mourning doves mate for life? Why are they so common? What do hunters and wildlife rehabbers have in common? Who's Dora, who's Zenaide, and what does Napoleon Bonaparte have to do with any of this? Find out all the facts you want about mourning doves on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lRY5Q2eUdrAriuKnC38f7RAwDOxTlnrWDoIgMSA_yTA/edit?usp=sharing...
Sep 16, 2018•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast How many people can 1 gram of poison from a golden poison frog kill? Are they really used in darts, or is that just a myth? Is a poison dart frog a safer pet than my dog? Find out on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o8AomHtyj10DhrKnjHedFdGUz8xSzKxOPeMahbstcug/edit?usp=sharing
Sep 09, 2018•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why don't Nepali shepherds roast meat? How do snow leopards survive in the cold? Can a snow leopard jump the length of a bowling alley? Find out on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AmX34BXN9He1QntORh8GVMMuFWFwlp9w7aNY8b451og/edit?usp=sharing
Sep 02, 2018•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why don't snakes have legs? What is the difference between a snake and a legless lizard? Is Indiana Jones a fraud? Find out on this strange, slithering Species special that is not about snakes.
Aug 26, 2018•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Did we invent music, or discover it? Or were we born with it? Why would natural selection choose music? Did the Backstreet Boys accidentally spark a monumental scientific discovery? Why does this bird drum? Find out all about a musical bird on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mYfv3YJ210S3JT0wmBkUpN1cE_ARBI_WF0XvE2f1jgw/edit?usp=sharing...
Aug 19, 2018•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast What do Brutus, Judas, and the false cleanerfish have in common? Why do they have massive fangs? Are plankton plants or animals or what? What is a client fish? Listen to some hilarious George Bush quotes, and find out the answers to the above questions on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y_4RztDmUyc7Z26FacKjqp8qLYkYED57gfzA4Up7CzQ/edit?usp=sharing...
Aug 12, 2018•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why do some people call this animal the demon primate? And why does everyone call them the aye-aye? Does this creature have magical powers? What's with their bizarre middle finger? Is this creature the real-world grim reaper? Listen and learn! Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PIw_Wd_mREDfvdWkK6piyrDc2_VLTFyBI_IwhF-oiU8/edit?usp=sharing
Aug 05, 2018•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast What's it like to get eaten alive? Hear the harrowing personal story of a real crocodile attack, and learn all about the largest reptile on earth on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14von7IbuRioG_iiq-6kdq-JhAVMZRr_KMYo1vRybCuY/edit?usp=sharing Nominate Species for the Podcast Awards under "education," this is your last chance! https://www.podcastawards.com/app/signup...
Jul 30, 2018•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast How do hummingbirds fly, and is bee flight physically impossible? Can they fly upside-down? Why do pollinators matter? What about communism? Find out all about the smallest bird in the world on this episode of Species. Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p8ypytZ2tIyIKYzHNK8h2UVKZZyrtZtCLTv9bVu9g20/edit?usp=sharing
Jul 22, 2018•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
